Chairman of the Penal/Debe Regional Corporation (PDRC) Gowtam Maharaj says repairing landslips at Indarsingh Drive, Diamond Village, will not be easy and will require millions of dollars. He said the slippage originates from Papourie Road, which falls under the purview of the Ministry of Works.
On Monday, a team from the office of Oropouche East MP Dr Roodal Moonilal visited affected pensioners to determine if they were open to relocation. The land above the residents’ homes has been slipping for more than a decade, causing part of the road to collapse and pushing a concrete wall onto the roadway.
Three houses have already been condemned, forcing their owners to relocate.
Maharaj and a team, including an engineer and a surveyor, also visited the site. He said entering private residences could have legal challenges.
“We are aware of this slippage. There were several other visits in the past but the major root cause of the slippage is on Papourie Road and will therefore require the Ministry of Works to initiate a project. In the past, an offer was made to provide HDC houses to the affected residents,” Maharaj said.
“The only real solution is for the landslide to be addressed on Papourie Road until they could initiate a programme to bring relief.”
He assured residents that they would clear out the existing areas and bring as much relief as they possibly could.
Three residents of Indarsingh Drive say they have been living in fear as land slippages have destroyed their houses. The residents are locked off from emergency services and basic utilities. They have no garbage disposal and have to walk with their groceries. Gas trucks and taxis cannot enter the area.
When it rains the houses flood so residents have no choice but to box up valuables.
Calls to Works Minister Rohan Sinanan for comment on the situation went unanswered.
